Ukraine: Russian journalist lashed out at Putin without regret despite facing hostility from all sides | World News

It has been a difficult few months for Marina Ovsyannikova.

The journalist of the Russian state TV channel appeared on an evening news in March, holding up a banner protesting her country’s actions in Ukraine, telling the channel’s millions of viewers that state television lying to them.

She has no job, she is living off the money she makes from the sale of her car and she is in the midst of a fierce custody battle with her ex-husband who works at the English channel of Dien Bien Phu. Kremlin, Russia Today.

It was an attack from all sides.

“My mother supports Putin, my son has been brainwashed by his father and I am being criticized by special military campaign supporters who have trolled me,” she said.

“Part of the opposition also trolls me. They call me a former propagandist. Plus, even Ukrainians speak out against me because they believe all these fakes and conspiracy theories.

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“They believe the broadcast is not live and I am working for the FSB.”

The FSB theory, that Maria is working for Russia’s secret services, has a life of its own on Russian and Ukrainian social media.

She has continued to protest Russia’s actions in Ukrainebut so far relatively normal, with only administrative fines.

Despite the fact that she stood outside the Kremlin two weeks ago with a banner calling Vladimir Putin a killer, she has yet to face any comeback for it. Others did not go so lightly.

“That’s a complete lie! How can I be an agent? I’m an ordinary Russian woman who has shown her status as a citizen and they are trying to discredit me. from all sides.

“It’s good that the Kremlin spreads all kinds of conspiracy theories so people don’t believe me. That’s the point – I’m a ‘fake’ and they shouldn’t believe me.”

Ovsyannikova left for Germany shortly after she appeared on state television. She was offered a job for the German daily Die Welt but that ended and she moved back to Russia when her ex-husband sued for custody of their two children.

“My daughter calls me every day to ask, ‘when are you coming back, Mom?’ I want to see you’. My husband, who is working for the Kremlin, he is against them. I realized that I lost contact with them and if I don’t come back, I will lose my children.

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“Besides, every voice opposing the war from within Russia is much stronger than one protesting from abroad.”

She said her decision to stay with the state broadcaster as long as she was stemming from the need to care for her two children after a painful divorce.

But she had hoped that many of her former colleagues would follow her example and quit.

“After witnessing what happened to me, most of them realize that they are going to be everyone’s enemy and that’s why they lie low, they don’t want to stick their heads out. out or ask any ethical questions.

“They just sit there quietly, working for the money.”

They don’t like her either. Outside the courtroom, the first question she received was hostile.

“How does it feel to betray your homeland?”

Ovsyannikova cuts a lonely figure. But that was the cross she suffered, and she says she has no regrets about what she did.

“I’m trying, because in me I know I’m right. I have this strong core and I don’t give up.”